Pheasants and Conservation Take Center Stage in Rice County

The Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Opener is this weekend in Rice County near Northfield.  Initiated in 2011 by then Governor Mark Dayton, the Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener brings attention to the kickoff of the pheasant hunting season, highlighting the sport’s significance in Minnesota.   This year’s event also celebrates the 75th anniversary of Minnesota’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), which provide public opportunities for hunting, wildlife watching, and outdoor recreation across the state.

Ring-necked pheasants in Minnesota depend on a mix of grasslands, wetlands, and agricultural croplands for habitat.

Locally, attention will be given to the dedication of the new Circle Lake Wildlife Management Area.  The area protects 263 acres of land, including an island in Circle Lake, which gives hunters another opportunity to hunt several types of game, including deer and pheasants.  The addition of Circle Lake WMA helps continue Minnesota’s long tradition of protecting public lands and wildlife habitat for future generations.

While public lands provide important opportunities for hunting and recreation, programs are also available to help private landowners permanently protect their land, create wildlife habitat, and improve local water quality. The Reinvest in Minnesota program, known commonly as RIM, has been around since 1991 and has been used by private landowners to restore and protect conservation lands across the state.  Over 250,000 acres have been protected through more than 6000 easements since the program began.

Among the easements are hundreds of sites that have been restored to wetlands.  Wetlands not only support great wildlife habitat but also play a key role in water quality and flood mitigation.  Upland areas in the program generally focus on highly erodible land that gets restored to either prairie grasses or forests.

Here in Rice County, over seventy landowners have enrolled more than 2,200 acres into the program, permanently protecting wildlife habitat while improving local water quality.

A ReInvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve Conservation Easement fills with water after days of heavy rain in north-central Rice County. (June, 2024)

The RIM Program is operated by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), with applications and local management of easements handled by Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs). Today, RIM partners with the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), a joint effort between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and BWSR. Through CREP, eligible landowners receive payments to establish and maintain conservation practices on their property. Once enrolled in CREP, the land can then be permanently protected through a RIM conservation easement. Landowners retain ownership of their property while ensuring it remains in conservation use, providing long-term benefits for wildlife habitat, water quality, and the surrounding landscape.

While RIM lands are not available for public hunting like WMA’s, their importance is key to helping provide the habitat that is crucial to supporting local wildlife and improving local water quality.

If you are planning on taking part in hunting pheasants this year, please ask for permission from the landowners before entering RIM lands.  For more information on how to apply for a CREP/RIM easement, contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District.

Steve Pahs is the District Manager with the Rice Soil & Water Conservation District. Contact Steve with your questions about conservation practices and programs at 507-332-5408.